Nonfinite and Finite Verbs

Nonfinite Verb

A nonfinite verb is a verb form that does not show tense, number, or person. There are three types of nonfinite verbs: infinitives, gerunds, and participles.

1. Infinitive: The base form of a verb, often preceded by "to."

•    She wants to dance at the party.
•    He likes to read books in his free time.

2. Gerund: A verb form ending in "-ing" that functions as a noun.

•    Swimming is her favorite hobby.
•    Reading helps improve your vocabulary.

3. Participle: A verb form that functions as an adjective.

•    The broken vase needs to be fixed.
•    The running man caught the bus.

Finite Verb 

A finite verb is a verb that is inflected for tense, person, and number, indicating the time, subject, and number of the action. It is the main verb in a sentence that agrees with the subject. Here are examples of finite verbs:

1. Present tense:

•    She walks to school every day.
•    They eat lunch together.

2. Past tense:

•    He studied for his exams last night.
•    We visited the museum yesterday.

3. Future tense:

•    She will go to the party tomorrow.
•    They are planning a trip next month.

Finite verbs change their forms based on the subject and tense of the sentence, indicating when the action takes place and who is performing the action. They are essential for conveying the time frame and subject-verb agreement in a sentence.